Sprint Nextel (S)

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Return: 140 percent

Market cap: $16.8 billion

Story: Although Japanese company Softbank announced its intentions to acquire Sprint Nextel in October, most of the stock’s gains this year came before then. The stock started rising in June, shortly after the company announced a big financing agreement, but really popped at the end of July with a favorable earnings report. Given that the stock was trading pretty cheap to begin with, it didn’t face much resistance on the way up.

Marriott Vacations Worldwide (VAC)

Story: Marriott International spun off Marriott Vacations Worldwide in November 2011, and since then, investors have piled into the stock.VAC shares rose in a near straight line this year. The company develops and sells vacation timeshares around the world, and shares likely benefitted from a recovering real estate industry and the return of securitization in lending markets as the company delivered robust sales figures this year.

AMN Healthcare Services (AHS)

Return: 159 percent

Market cap:$506.5 million

Story: AMN Healthcare’s stock has been in the doldrums since the market crashed in 2008, and it finally made a comeback in 2012. The company provides staffing services for the healthcare industry and has benefitted from a number of strong earnings reports this year. Goldman Sachs also took a substantial position in the stock in May.

M/I Homes (MHO)

Story: M/I Homes was one of the best-performing stocks in the best performing industry (homebuilders) of 2012. As the housing recovery took shape, investors sought ways to play it, and homebuilders, with their depressed valuations, were a natural choice.

PulteGroup (PHM)

Story: The beginning of a recovery in U.S. housing was one of the major stories of 2012. Homebuilder stocks staged a massive rally as housing data improved throughout the year. PulteGroup, the Bloomfield Hills, MI homebuilder, led the way, registering the biggest gains of any stock on the S&P 500 in 2012 and growing to just over $7 billion in market capitalization.

Lumber Liquidators (LL)

Daniel Goodman / Business Insider.com

Return: 194 percent

Market cap: $1.4 billion

Story: Lumber Liquidators was naturally another beneficiary of the big recovery in homebuilding stocks this year. While not a homebuilder itself, it supplies the industry with hardwood flooring. The stock rose steadily with the housing recovery, but had a significant pop at the end of July when the company raised guidance.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN)

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Return: 209 percent

Market cap: $16.2 billion

Story: Regeneron really took off right at the beginning of the year when it announced the settlement of patent litigation with fellow biotech giant Genentech. The market looked favorably on the pharmaceutical industry as a whole this year, and there was little to stand in the way of Regeneron’s rise.

3D Systems (DDD)

Story: After its initial public offering in 2011, 3D Systems continued to benefit from investor interest 3D printing, which rose steadily throughout 2012 as the technology continued to excite investors.

Headwaters (HW)

Story: Headwaters was another big beneficiary of the housing recovery in 2012. The company manufactures and sells building products to homebuilders, making it another derivative play on the theme, just like Lumber Liquidators.

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